Best Driving: Need For Speed III: Hot Pursuit
Let's make this clear: Need For Speed III: Hot Pursuit wasn't the most realistic driving game of the year. We know this. We know that taking a turn at 120 miles an hour and crashing into a wall would probably kill you in real life. But you know what? We don't care. No driving game released in 1998 came close to matching the sheer visceral thrills of Electronic Arts' utterly addicting arcade driving game, in both its single- and multiplayer forms. The game's hot pursuit mode, in which you can either play a cop or be pursued by one, was one of our favorite brain-dead guilty pleasures of the year. It didn't hurt that NFS III featured gorgeous 3D graphics and the best implementation of force-feedback to date. No racing game in 1998 was more fun to play. And sometimes, you know, that's what it's all about.
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At the exact opposite end of the spectrum, ironically, we have our runner-up: Sierra Sports' Grand Prix Legends. Arguably the most ambitious and realistic driving simulation to date, modeling the thrills and difficulties of Grand Prix racing circa 1967, it is also perhaps the toughest to play. It's an awesome game for those who can handle it.
In a less competitive year, Ubi Soft's excellent F1 Racing Simulation would have won hands down. The sequel, just released, may fare better in '99.
Runner-up: Grand Prix Legends, Sierra Sports
Other Finalists: Motocross Madness, Microsoft; F1 Racing Simulation, UbiSoft; Moto Racer 2, Electronic Arts
Next: Sports Game of the Year
